


cookies and love are good for the soul, you know?

by AeonWing



Series: Bite-sized Chalex Moments - For Better Or Worse, Till Death Do Us Part [2]
Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Baking, Boys Kissing, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, chalex - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25161442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeonWing/pseuds/AeonWing
Summary: Alex and Charlie spend a wholesome, heartwarming afternoon baking Charlie's famous granola cookies.
Relationships: Charlie St. George/Alex Standall
Series: Bite-sized Chalex Moments - For Better Or Worse, Till Death Do Us Part [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1824100
Comments: 16
Kudos: 81





	cookies and love are good for the soul, you know?

**Author's Note:**

> A bit of a short piece - honestly, the amount of fluff here is almost too much for me, :P But when our boys are so wholesome and sweet, it's hard not to.
> 
> I take requests for one-shots, by the way, so if there's anything you'd like to see me write about, please let me know!

“I’ve got nothing to do today but smile.”

\-- Paul Simon

* * *

August 2019

“So this is your house?” Alex steps through the door frame into what appears to be a rather enormous mansion. One of epic proportions, for sure. 

“Hopefully not too unwelcoming,” Charlie chuckles, gently dragging Alex by his fingertips further into the rather large establishment.

“Are you kidding me?” Alex beams. “This is amazing, the décor is literally on point,” he says, excitedly eyeing the various decorations and furniture. 

Alex rests a hand on a wooden seat in what appears to be the foyer. It’s impossibly smooth, polished, and radiant. “Mahogany?”

Charlie shrugs at that. “I think so- my dad’s pretty big on that sort of stuff,” he says, draping an arm around Alex. “Mom used to love this too.”

“I…I see,” Alex twists his mouth at that. 

A few things fill his mind in that split second, something to say, comforting words, cliché words, even. But if Alex has learned anything over the years, it’s that he _really hates_ those sorts of things. Sometimes, it’s not even genuine at all.

So, he settles for nodding sympathetically and gently tightening his grip on Charlie’s hand.

“Thank you, Alex,” Charlie smiles back. “I’m okay, really!”

Alex just stares back at him warmly. “Okay,” he finally says, pulling Charlie into a warm hug.

“So, when did you become a décor expert?” asks Charlie, when they break their hug. “I never knew that Alex Dean Standall was a master of décor and interior design,” he playfully chides.

Alex rolls his eyes.

“It’s a gay stereotype, isn’t it?” Alex murmurs, gently pressing a kiss against the corner of Charlie’s lips. “Interior design and all.”

“Cleech,” Charlie says, giggling. 

“I think you mean cliché.”

“No, I meant cleech,” Charlie says again. “I don’t know that word,” he says, trying to suppress what must be an incredibly silly-sounding laugh. 

“Liar,” Alex chuckles back.

It’s lighthearted, wholesome moments like these that Alex lives for. Being with Charlie, being next to Charlie, and everything about him. He wouldn’t trade it for anything. It makes him really start to believe in love again. 

_Charlie_. The wholesome boy. The wonderful quarterback on the football team. The sweetest, most kindhearted soul Alex has met to date. There are simply too many ways to describe him.

School has ended, and it’s only a couple weeks until he’s got to move away, to UC Berkeley, and start a new chapter of his life. It only makes moments like these that much more precious. 

Not that Crestmont is too far from campus, anyways – so it’s not like they’re going all LDR and everything.

Charlie clears his throat. “So, where were we?” He asks rhetorically, smiling widely at Alex.

Alex lets out a playful sigh. “We were going to make your famous granola camp cookies,” he answers. “Weren’t we?”

“Bingo!” Charlie exclaims, dragging Alex into the rather ample-sized kitchen space. 

“Wow,” Alex breaths. “It’s like one of those professional kitchens,” he says, eyeing the equipment. “There’s like, everything here.”

“Perhaps,” Charlie says, raising a finger. “But there’s no food prepared,” he grins. “So, it’s now on us to make the best cookies known to humanity.”

Alex rolls his eyes at that. 

Charlie beams, walking over to the countertop, where a few cookies remain, covered. Charlie removes the cover, excitedly handing over a cookie to Alex.

When Alex bites into it, he’s reminded immediately of all those weeks back, during the camping trip, when he first tried these cookies.

They taste as good now as they did then. 

“Wow,” says Alex. “They’re like, amazing, as usual. But why are there already some pre-made?”

“Well,” Charlie says, rolling his eyes as he absentmindedly washes his hands. “So, we have something to compare our final results to.”

Alex nods. “Right, makes sense.”

“Okay, let’s get to work, babe,” Charlie chimes.

* * *

It turns out baking is not one of Alex’s strong suits. He’s never had a good eye for measuring ratios, relying exclusively on measuring cups and spoons to guide him.

Fortunately, Charlie’s more than capable of teaching him, and the afternoon goes smoothly, save for the growing mess on the countertop from flour, butter, and whatever else might be there from their baking adventures.

“Don’t worry, we’ll clean it up later,” Charlie winks at him.

Alex suspected that Charlie might’ve had something else in mind when he says that. But he’s not complaining at that. 

Finally, after a couple hours and lots of extra work, the final batch of cookies are ready, marked by the beep from their phone timer. 

“They’re almost ready!” Charlie says excitedly, pathing towards the oven. He turns on the oven light, before shutting off the heat. “Alex, come take a look!”

And wow. They looked amazing. Golden brown, perfectly baked, and just under perfect lighting. 

“Wow, they look really amazing,” Alex nods, opening the oven just a little bit.

The smell was equal parts glorious and mouthwatering.

“I can’t wait to try them,” Alex cheers. “Are they ready to settle now?”

“Mhm,” Charlie nods back, donning his oven mitts to remove the tray from the oven and transfer the cookies to the cooling rack. “Won’t be long now.”

The minutes pass in a haze. Alex gets lost in the joy that was being with Charlie, Charlie returning the touch, the attention, and everything. It’s been a while since they’ve been alone like this – not that hanging out with the crew, with Clay, Jess, Ani, Zach, and them isn’t fun – it is, of course, but Alex definitely is glad for the alone time they have now.

It makes it so much more wholesome and precious.

“Very handsome,” Charlie suddenly says, teasingly tracing the outline of Alex’s collarbone. “I really like the shirt.”

Alex merely rolls his eyes, but there’s a pleased smile on his lips. 

“It’s literally a $20 shirt, silly,” says Alex. “It’s probably like, 3 years old too,” he chuckles, letting Charlie wrap his arms around his own, smaller frame. 

“You look cute as usual, anyways,” Charlie coos gently. 

The timer goes off again – meaning the cookies had cooled and were now ready for consumption. Trading excited glances, the boyfriends moved closer. 

“You first,” Charlie titters, warmly peering at Alex. 

“Alright, alright,” Alex relents, taking a bite, letting the flavors fill his mouth, like an orchestra, a symphony of flavors building in his mind. “These are, honestly, so amazing.”

“Mhm,” Charlie nods back, his turn to take a bite. “Actually, I think they taste even better this time.”

“Really?” Alex raises an eyebrow. “But we followed the exact ratios you set out.”

“Hm, it was missing a secret ingredient of sorts before this,” Charlie snickers a little, tugging Alex to come a little closer.

Alex still doesn’t quite get it. “Uh… what do you mean?”

“You,” Charlie answers, pulling Alex into a warm, radiant hug. And instantly, Alex feels entirely at ease, at home, natural. It was heartwarming, wholesome, and simply just amazing – he’s at a loss of words to describe it. It all starts and ends with Charlie.

“I love you,” Alex finally says, peering into Charlie’s eyes, blue pools holding his. 

“I love you too, Alex,” Charlie smiles back, pressing a kiss against the boy’s lips. 

And somehow, somewhere, Alex is confident that this will last a lifetime.

He smiles contently at this. 

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews/Kudos are appreciated, it keeps me motivated to write more, especially when I get requests!


End file.
